This invention relates to a special effects recording apparatus and method, and more particularly, to a kaleidoscope recording apparatus and method.
In the optical and image recording fields, it has long been desired to produce and record reflected images of colorful objects which have interesting and varied patterns. This has been particularly true with respect to kaleidoscopic patterns. It has also long been desired to expand the kaleidoscopic image subject matter from colored glass particles in a rotatable drum to the world around us in its real or animated form. Typically, a viewing means such as a special lens assembly has been constructed to provide special effects of the objects observed through the lens assembly so that it may produce a colorful pattern of reflected images. However, such special effects lens assemblies have not been completely satisfying in that they have been costly to manufacture and assemble. Furthermore, there is the ever present problem of satisfactorily producing clear and sharp images of objects viewed over a wide range of distances and lighting conditions. It has also been desired to construct such an assembly which is capable of being used with various types of cameras, such as still, movie, video, or television cameras, in order to record the reflected images produced by such an assembly.
In general, the prior art relating to kaleidoscopic recording apparatus has elected an optics approach or solution with respect to expanding kaleidoscopic image subject matter. In following the optics approach, the prior art has placed heavy reliance on the use of at least one lens, an objective lens, spaced forwardly of and cooperating with a set of kaleidoscopic mirrors. A collecting or ocular lens is placed at the other end of the mirrors and projects the desired kaleidoscopic pattern onto a receiving medium, such as an eye, a camera, video recorder, etc. In use, the apparatus is held in a more or less horizontal position by the user with the ocular lens in close proximity to the eye and the objective lens directed toward objects lying within the field of direct view of the user of the apparatus, but not contained within the apparatus itself. Exemplary of such state of the art devices are depicted and described in the following U.S. Patents, namely: Burnside--U.S. Pat. No. Re 26,031; Taylor--U.S. Pat. No. 3,160,056; Burnside et al.--U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,439; and Powell--U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,711.
However, having elected an optics approach or solution, the prior art, therefore, had to address and formulate solutions to associated problems in optics. One such problem results from the phenomenon of parallax. Parallax in a kaleidoscope evinces itself as a failure of the lines of the kaleidoscopic pattern to join properly across boundaries of the sections of the pattern. The cause of parallax is the occurrence of a space between the plane formed by the light-entry ends of the mirrors and the location of the object being viewed kaleidoscopically. The prior art has sought to avoid or at least keep to a minimum such effects of parallax by a proper selection of the distance from the objective lens to the above-mentioned plane--that is, the focal length of the objective lens. Thus, the above-mentioned plane is made coincident with the focal plane of the objective lens. But since the image formed by the objective lens is not projected onto a screen but is seen directly, in the air, the limits or bounds of the image are set by the rim of the objective lens. Thus, the eye or other recording means, shall see as much of the image formed by the objective lens as is contained within a cone having the eye as apex and the rim of the lens as base. For proper positioning, the objective lens is necessarily at a relatively large distance from the plane of the light-entry ends of the mirrors, hence the parallax is excessive about the boundary of the kaleidoscopic pattern that is formed by it. Thus, the visible edge of the objective lens constitutes a grossly unsymmetrical boundary to the pattern. Burnside '031 remedied, or rather masked, such an effect by properly positioning an apertured disc at the point of least parallax so as to hide the rim of the objective lens from view and to substitute for the distractingly irregular boundary one which is smooth, regular and pleasing. Powell, who discloses a special effects lens which includes three identical longitudinal members with inner surfaces which act as light reflecting surfaces, in effect also hides from view the outer portion of his spherical objective lens so as to produce clear and sharp reflected images.
As alluded to above, another associated optics problem is the effective utilization of substantially the full capacity of the objective lens, rather than obscuring a portion of the objective lens from view. Taylor addresses this problem by adding specifically proportioned reflective elements or arms to the upper portion of the light-entry end of the kaleidoscope mirrors. The plane of the light-entry end of the mirrors is made coincident with the focal plane of the objective lens and the reflective elements extend therefrom to the objective lens. The purpose of the arms is to reflect substantially all of the more or less axially directed rays passing through the upper portions of the objective lens, so that the rim of the objective lens is also effectively utilized. Such an arrangement minimizes the inclusion of distortions or aberrated images resulting from reflections of the upper inside of the housing in the area between the objective lens and the focal plane thereof.
A third problem is kaleidoscopic in nature which is aggravated by the above-mentioned optics approach. The problem involves the production of a kaleidoscopic image array or pattern having substantially uniform image intensity throughout the various segments of the array. It is well-known that light diverging from a point source diminishes in intensity with increasing distance of travel. Thus, some light is lost with each reflection by the kaleidoscope mirror set because of the increasing divergence of the light rays. However, the optics approach aggravates the situation in that a portion of the light rays from the viewed object which are captured and focused by the objective lens to form an image in its focal plane do not reach the reflecting surfaces of the mirrors, but instead diverge away from the mirror. Thus, the amount of light available for reflection and re-reflection to form the kaleidoscopic array is further diminished. Therefore, upon close examination of the array, the unequal brightness of the various segments forming the array becomes apparent.
The prior art responded with optics solutions to increase the amount of light striking the mirrors so as to produce an image of substantially uniform image intensity throughout its various segments. Taylor in effect inclined the principal axis of the objective lens relative to the line of intersection of the mirrors so as to allow more of the light rays which would have previously diverged from the mirrors to now strike same. However, this results in defocusing of the array and, therefore, is unacceptable. Burnside '439, on the other hand, employs a converging lens positioned between the objective lens and objective lens focal plane. The converging lens serves to redirect the light rays which would have previously diverged from the mirrors back toward the mirrors, thereby increasing the amount of light available for reflection and re-reflection to form the array.
From the above, it is apparent that there exists a need for a kaleidoscopic recording apparatus which is capable of producing a sharply focused image array having substantially uniform image intensity throughout the various segments of the array. The present invention solves this need in a novel and unique manner which totally avoids the above-mentioned optics considerations, problems and associated solutions by utilizing a non-optics approach.